Automating radiologist workflow, part 2: hands-free navigation.

Although digital imaging and information technologies provide the mechanism to dramatically enhance radiologist workflow, this theoretical workflow improvement is not always realized in everyday practice. A high degree of interradiologist workflow variability currently exists because of differences in technology, radiologist education and training, and computer proclivity. Much of the time and effort spent by radiologists during image review, interpretation, and reporting is spent performing manual steps that could potentially be automated. One solution to address existing workflow deficiencies would be the creation of automated workflow templates, which could be context and user specific and created in accordance with data-driven "best practice" guidelines. The creation of these automated workflow templates would have the potential of minimizing workflow variability, improving radiologists' productivity, and improving diagnostic accuracy. By automating workflow, radiologists could in effect allocate 100% of their attention to imaging data sets, thereby creating a mechanism for "hands-free" navigation.